Cardinal O’Hara Rides Strong Defense To 28-6 Win Over Undefeated North Pocono (VIDEO RECAP)

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Davin Ridall | November 22, 2025

WHITEHALL TOWNSHIP – Fresh off their first district title in school history, Cardinal O’Hara came into the state quarterfinals and knocked off undefeated North Pocono by a final score of 28-6, thanks to their strong defense and stellar rushing attack.

“It all came down to our preparation, and our kids are able to adapt to a lot of different situations. A lot of our kids came back to the sidelines and told us what they were doing and suggested some things, and we trust our kids in certain situations, and a lot of what we did was just our kids stepping up and playing O’Hara football,” head coach Mike Ewing said following the victory.

Cardinal O’Hara never trailed in this game, their 11 play opening drive led to a touchdown and the very next drive their defense got an interception. That pick ultimately led to no points thanks to North Pocono’s defense making a stop.

North Pocono’s only sustained drive of the night was their next one, which ended up being a 21 play, 77 yard drive that ended in a quarterback sneak from Chase Zimmerman. The blocked extra point is what kept Cardinal O’Hara in front and after that drive, the Lions controlled the rest of the game.

“We just flew to the ball, gang tackled, and had each other’s backs, those kids knew what they had to do and they stepped up,” coach Ewing said.

Amahj Gowans, who now has eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards this season with tonight’s performance, had a 16 yard touchdown carry midway through the second quarter, and a 35 yard strike from John Welde to Damir Spencer was what closed out the first half, allowing O’Hara to take a 21-6 lead into the break.

“He’s an outstanding kid, gets great grades in school, he’s a perfect gentleman in the classroom and at practice. and when he gets between these lines, he’s an absolute animal. He’s been great for us all year, he’s got great guys up front that block for him and open up holes, and once he gets past that first level, he’s second to none,” coach Ewing said about Amahj Gowans.

John Welde had two rushing touchdowns in the game, one on a quarterback sneak in the first quarter and one on a quarterback draw in the third, which put O’Hara up 28-6 and was ultimately the final nail in the coffin for the Lions victory.

“I’m just so proud of my kids, really proud what they’re doing for Cardinal O’Hara High School. The kids are excited, I’ve never seen them so excited to have practice on Monday,” said coach Ewing following the victory. “It’s a big win for our program, to come into a neutral site and beat an undefeated team in North Pocono, it’s the farthest we’ve ever been and it’s a great feeling.”

With the win, Cardinal O’Hara (10-4) will advance the the PIAA Class 4A state semifinals next week, where they will play Southern Lehigh (13-1) at a site and time that are currently TBD. Following their loss, North Pocono’s season comes to an end, where they will finish with a final record of 13-1.

CREDIT TO JORDAN GILLIS FOR GAME PHOTOS – Follow @j3gfx for more photos

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